What we’ve learned from the pandemic can inspire change for our schools

As another post-primary school year comes to and end this week, the circumstances we find ourselves in remain alien. There will be little of the traditional last hurrah for our students ahead of a summer of (limited) freedom: no full school assemblies, no graduation nights, no handshakes, or high fives.

This end of the academic year always offers on opportunity for school leaders to reflect on the year that was and never has there been a more necessary time for such pause and consideration.

Over the past year, school communities bravely overcame the many trials placed upon us by the pandemic and delivered the best outcomes achievable for our students. For that, all involved must be commended. However, we must take the learnings experienced in this collective effort and commit now to a new and sustainable model of post primary education.

While the pandemic clearly unearthed new challenges for educators, many existed beforehand: poor ICT resourcing, a senior cycle curriculum no longer fit for purpose and burnout amongst school leaders. The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) has long sought action in these three crucial areas.

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Technology

While a return to full traditional in classroom learning for the next academic year is the shared goal of all in the school community, the adaptability shown during school closures highlighted how ICT resources can complement how we continue to deliver high quality education for our young people into the future. Equality of access is therefore paramount to this now necessary aspect of education.

For this to become a lived reality, the Department of Education must ensure access to ICT and broadband is universal and not dependent on a student’s circumstance or privilege. Even with an additional €100million in funding provided for ICT this year, a recent Economic and Social Research Institute study found that access to online classes and communication between students and educators was not equitable during school closures.

The adaptability of our school communities in embracing ICT demonstrates the compelling rationale for greater investment in such equipment.

Senior cycle reform

The challenges and shortcomings arising from our current Leaving Certification model of assessment are well documented and haven’t gone away. Now is the time to bring it into the 21st century and in line with our peers across the OECD.

School leaders have long advocated for such change and for a system which considers the full, holistic development of our young people as we prepare them to become positive contributors to Irish society and the Irish economy.

A step in the right direction for such reform is the broadening of apprenticeship programmes by the Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris. One’s ability to learn is unique to each individual and offering alternative avenues can provide equity across the learning spectrum. School leaders support a continuation of these educational programmes and the expansion of our technological universities. We simply cannot continue to limit choices for our young people through a blanket screening system from a bygone era.

In communicating our ambitions to advance senior cycle reform, we must also acknowledge the strides taken to date by Minister for Education Norma Foley to address these many shortcomings. This includes Minister Harris’s plans to combine the CAO with the apprenticeships programme, in addition to the current review underway by the National Council of Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) to inform such progress.

Challenges

Pre-pandemic, one of the most prominent challenges emerging in second level education was a shortage of school principals. In light of the pandemic, this issue has become even more acute.

Throughout the last 16 months, school principals have put the shoulder to the wheel to ensure the continued high standard of education and curtail the spread of Covid-19 amongst our school communities.

This enhanced workload has exacerbated the high rates of burnout amongst our members and has created an even more challenging hiring backdrop for the many schools around the country struggling to recruit and retain school principals. In short, other members of the staffroom see the relentless pressures that come with the role and conclude its not worth it.

To our frustration, school administration and compliance functions have long been shouldered by Irish principals and deputy principals. This additional burden of responsibility is entirely at odds with the role of school leadership in other EU member states. Critically, this additional workload comes at the detriment of our young people’s education, as it means less face time with students and more time spent buried under paperwork.

A recent survey conducted by Maynooth University found that only 52 per cent of school leaders saw themselves staying in leadership roles in education. The majority of those surveyed stated that the burden of school administration provision was the root cause of such burnout.

The NAPD firmly believes that the solution to addressing many of the challenges facing school leaders is to create more roles within schools for administration. The creation of such roles would free principals up to focus on leading learning rather than compliance.

In an Irish context, this investment will inevitably lead to better education provision and reduced stress amongst our school leadership, allowing them to focus on learning outcomes and student wellbeing.

The solutions to many of post primary education’s long-standing challenges are within our grasp. We need continued commitment and innovation on the part of Government and all stakeholders to achieve them.

Clive Byrne is director of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals